Craig Biggio pregame interview

Second baseman says team still has a pulse

Phil Garner said he was embarrassed by the offense last night, for the Astros fans and the city of Houston; can you react to that?

CRAIG BIGGIO: Well, we had some opportunities, we just weren't able to cash in on them. We had guys in scoring position.

It was a tough game. They made some pitches when they had to. And I think they left 14 or 15 guys on, also, a lot of guys. It was a disappointing loss for us.

Do you often talk about -- how do you avoid the enormity of what's happening?

BIGGIO: There's never been any more truth to that statement than today, because obviously if we lose we're done. But we have a heartbeat left. We have a lot of pride and dignity in our clubhouse. This club has been through a lot this season. We'll focus on today and hopefully things will go well. We need to catch a break, and little things here and there. Last night's game, if Jason Lane's ball does catch the corner of the score board, we need to catch a little luck.

Getting here to the World Series is what you've dreamt of your whole career. Has there been any letdown just the way the first three games have gone?

BIGGIO: No, I don't think there's a letdown. I think if from a fan's perspective, they've been three great games that could have been -- we could be very easily 3-0 and they could be down by three. But unfortunately it's the other way around.

I don't think it's a letdown, it's been three good games. But we're 0-and-3 in the loss column, that's the disappointing side.

Seems like Phil was pretty rough on you guys last night after the game, at least to the media about your trouble hitting. Were you guys pretty down on yourself after last night's game, was it tough to rebound?

BIGGIO: The tough part about last night is it was a long game and we lost, it would have been better if we won. It's all about momentum. I don't read the paper, so I don't know what was said.

I think guys in the clubhouse, we all look in the mirror, and we're all honest about it and it's all about a team. So maybe a little better pitching, maybe picking each other up offensive, and making plays defensively. It's all about a team.

BIGGIO: Well, they've -- their pitching is good, just like ours. Their bullpen is strong, like ours. They might have a little bit more power from the, on the offensive side. Their defense is solid.

I think both teams really match up real well. And like I said earlier, I think if you look at it, a lot of these games could have went the other way. From a fan's perspective they've been some great games. But they're a solid team, they play the game the right way.

What's your relationship like with Geoff Blum, what were your thoughts when he was the one that did it last night?

BIGGIO: I wanted to hit him (laughter). Blumer was a good teammate, he's a great guy. He's got triplets at home, and if anybody is going to do it on the other side it was going to happen. I'm glad it was him, because he's a class act and a true professional.

After last night's game, is it tough to go home and just go to sleep and get back to -- it's a later game, it's a tough game, is it tough to go home and go to sleep or did you stay up and think about it a little bit?

BIGGIO: No, I had a little glass of wine and go right to bed. It's easy after six hours playing baseball. But last night's game was a tough game, there's no doubt about it. All these games have been tough games. But we still have a pulse and a heartbeat left. We'll focus on today, because there's nothing we can do about it, we can't go back and do these games over again.

Is that game, the way you guys played games all year, winning games late and coming back, did that surprise you as the inning went by and the opportunities went by?

BIGGIO: Well, I mean it's, I mean you're in the World Series or in the postseason everything is based off one pitch at a time, one batter at a time. We escaped some tough jams defensively, obviously. Their batters had a lot of opportunities, just like we had some opportunities. You never know how this thing is going to play out. Obviously the biggest thing is when you have the last at bat coming up, it's a big thing. But we weren't able to get it done.

With these games being so close, you mentioned they could have gone either way, is there anything specific you keep going over in your head that you wish you had done differently?

BIGGIO: You can't, it's just catching a little luck every now and then. In the first couple series we caught a break here and there, we were able to capitalize on it. In these games here we really haven't been able to catch a break. We hit some good balls, last night in the 5th inning. They didn't hit the ball all that great until A.J. came up and hit the ball really well. But you put the ball in play you stand a chance, but we've just got to catch a little bit of luck, and keep going out and grinding. I think we've had some really good quality at bats. I think we've played well, but we just have to win.

The fact that Freddy Garcia was in this organization, how well do you know him and does that give you any advantage, has he changed much?

BIGGIO: We didn't get to know Freddy that well, he was in on the Randy Johnson trade. Anyone that leaves your organization you want them to do well. He did a great job in Seattle, and he's doing a great job in Seattle. So we faced them a couple of years ago, Interleague, but once again you're in for a battle, he's got great stuff.

A 3-0 deficit was always considered fatal, and the Red Sox proved otherwise. Is something another team did meaningful at all to you guys right now?

BIGGIO: Well, you know it can be done. Obviously I think with the Yankee/Red Sox series and the attitude I think that the Red Sox had is similar to what we have in the clubhouse. We're loose and upbeat and even though we're in a tough spot, a tough situation, we're going to continue to go and play hard and give all we have and hopefully things will go well.

Knowing how hard you have to battle in these games every day, does it boggle your mind a little bit that the White Sox can be 10 1 in the postseason and make it so far and lose only one game?

BIGGIO: I never thought about it, we're focused on what they did in the American League series, that was no concern. We're just concerned about ourselves. But obviously we're down 3-0, so obviously we know they've been playing well and they got a couple of breaks along the way too, and you have to capitalize them also. So we'll go out and play and see how it goes.

Courtesy of FastScripts by ASAP Sports. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.